Snuffles End
by MuddPaw
Summary: Why did Sirius ask Harry to call him Snuffles in letters? What is behind the name? Was there something more? Note: This was written before the 7th book


**Disclaimer**: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and everything else in his world mentioned here and more. If I were J.K. Rowling I wouldn't have to write a disclaimer, would I???!!!!!!!!

Sirius walked down the endless corridor. _Where could James be? _ He wondered to himself. He hadn't been in Transfiguration, or Charms. But Sirius was very worried now because James had missed his favorite class: Defense Against the Darkarts. The only class James never pulled a prank in. He just sat fixated staring at Professor Menlo as if she could tell him everything that there was to learn. Actually Remus did that too…Hum…? Still he had to find James, break ended in fifteen minuets. Where could Prongs be! He heard footsteps behind him. Until now he had been convinced that this corridor was completely empty, well except for the occupants of all the portraits on the wall. He turned, and whipped his wand out, staring the other person in the face, ready to spring if they tried anything. Gryffindors couldn't be too careful these days, with the big match against their rival house coming up. People had been jinxed left and right. Madam Pomfry had her hands very full. Just the other day Justin Marks had been hoisted by his ankle into the air 30 ft above the ground. It was rumored that every bone in his body had been broken. But it was James who was in the most danger. He was the seeker and without him, the team would have to forfit.

"Oh Moony it's just you." Remus Lupin stood a good three inches above Sirius's head. He had curly brown hair and a very nice smile. Sometimes Sirius felt jealous of him, all the girls liked him and he was a Prefect. And prefect is one letter away from perfect. But Lupin wasn't smiling today. He looked just as worried as Sirius.

"Padfoot, don't call me Moony. I think Snape might be on to me. Evil git" he added in an undertone. "Where's James anyway?"

It was surprising to see Sirius without James. They were like twins, and completely inseparable. Remus even knew for a fact that Black even went to Potter's house for holidays. He probably hadn't even seen his own family in years.

"Why can't I call you Moony but _you_ can call me Padfoot, huh?" Sirius knew this sounded childish, but he was staling for time. Unwilling to admit he didn't know where his best friend was.

"Oh, looking for Potty, are you?" Both boys jumped and looked above their heads. Peeves the poltergeist was floating lazily above them. Shooting ink pellets at a painting of Montgumary the Tibetan Monk. Montgumary was yelling as he ran into a neighboring picture of Sir Codugon and his fat, gray pony.  
"Where's James Peeves!" commanded Lupin staring hard-fixed at the, well whatever he was.

"What's the magic w-ooo-rrrr-d?"

"Now Peeves, or I'll report you."

"To whom may I ask?" Peeves knew this little thing couldn't do anything that would upset him.

To the Bloody Barren," This wiped the smile off Peeves face. "I have a friend in his house, and he'll fetch him for me if I ask him to." Peeves now laughed.

"You mean little baby Petey? Oh, oh! I am s-o-o-o scared!" He said mockingly. Peter, if asked to go see the Bloody Barren, would probably wet his pants in fright and then start to cry. Everyone wondered why he had been put in Slyeren. Nobody knew. The chubby little baby would forever be a chicken. Footsteps; running footsteps now echoed down the corridor. It was Lily Evens running to Sirius and Lupin, James's steady girlfriend. Only on the condition though, that he didn't curse Snape. Well he didn't, at least not when she was around, sometimes he even had buddy do it for him.

"Lupin," she gasped "Sirius." Lupin raised his eyebrows at Sirius to show that she (at least) respected what he wanted to be called.

But Sirius worst fears came true when she announced, clearly upset:

"James was in the hospital wing."

"What?" gasped an exploding Lupin, and Sirius's mind raced with thoughts of Slyerens trying to damage their seeker.

"Who did it to him?!" demanded Sirius practically shouting to the near empty corridor. "I'll kill the-"

"No, no. Nothing like that. Calm yourself Padfoot." She said, using the nickname James had asked her to call his best friend since they stared dating. "He was sick at breakfast or maybe he fainted or something, remember we left early so we weren't there, but Josh Martian told me that-"

"James wouldn't faint." interrupted Sirius, "Men just don't faint."

"Quiet, Pad, let Lily talk."

"Anyway," continued Lily as if nothing had happened, ignoring Sirius's manly comment. She was used to it. "He's been sent up to his, well your, dorm. Go see him he's really upset, Sn-"

But Lily was to be ignored, as her boyfriend's, best friends sprinted away.

James sat on his bed looking woefully out the window, alone, when Moony and Padfoot burst into his room. Both were rambling at once. About Lilly, and breakfast, but James waved them aside. Suddenly it was very quiet. Lupin sat in front of him on the bed and Sirius (in his dog form) lay next to him.

"You want to tell us about it?" Sirius put his head in James lap as Lupin spoke.

But James pushed away from them both and walked over to the window. Frost fogged up the edges and snow littered the ground.

"My parents," James finally spoke in a cracked voice, "sent me a letter and," James turned with tears in his eyes. Then he said very quietly in a small voice,

"Snuffles, he…he…" James tried once more

"He…died"

Both friends felt a wave of sickness watch over them and walked over to James. Remus laid an arm on his shoulder.

James was crying into his hands now, and Sirius and Lupin would have been very surprised if he hadn't. Snuffles had been with James since he'd been born. He had been the lovable family dog. He'd paw at you until you petted him and he'd lick you to death when you came in the door. The big black dog, Sirius had molded his animagus form after. The Potter family had many pictures on their mantle, but Snuffles was in most of them. One of the two most loyal friends James had. That was enough of a shock to make anybody sick.

"He was hit by a muggle car or something…"

Sirius swore so loudly that Remus glared at him, but Sirius didn't really care_. I mean what a way to go_, he thought angrily, to himself, _not even a magical way!_ He put his hand on James other shoulder and the threesome was left to gaze out the frosty window, at the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All feeling awful and wanting to make the pain go away.

Mostly for their best friend, as Sirius secretly vowed he would never let Snuffles be forgotten.


End file.
